


Brainwashed

by zeejayblue



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brainwashing, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Worried Paladins, at the end, lance almost joins the galra, yoinks scoob
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-02 20:04:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11516466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeejayblue/pseuds/zeejayblue
Summary: A Galra commander seeks out Lance, and attempts to persuade him to join their army. The rest of the paladins have no choice but to watch the situation unfold, having no way to intervene.





	Brainwashed

****

    “Shit,” Lance muttered under his breath when he noticed a Galra drone had spotted him.

    “Everything okay?” Hunk replied, and startled Lance, he almost forgot his intercom was on.

    “Just.. uh- a bit of trouble,” Lance whispered, beginning to run away. The Galra drone began to sprint after him. 

    “God dammit,” Lance huffed, trying his best to run faster but the Galra drone was right behind him. Lance stopped at a locked door, and he was cornered.

    “Blue paladin,” A voice boomed, startling Lance. Lance’s eyes widened when a Galra  commander stepped forward.

    “Take him.” He ordered. Lance gasped as the drones gripped his hands behind his back. Lance yelped in surprise when they suddenly pulled him forward. 

    “Wha-where are you taking me? Let me go!” Lance exclaimed, struggling to break free. The drones took this as a challenge and just tightened their grip. Lance bit his lip to hold back a cry of pain and decided it would just be best to keep his mouth shut.

    Lance was thrown into a chair and tied to it. Despite his struggles, the rope binding his hands and legs seemed to tighten each time he moved.

    “Let me go,” Lance declared firmly, his voice shaking slightly. The Galra commander chuckled sadistically and stood in front of him.

    “Oh, Blue paladin,” The Galra commander hummed. Lance huffed and inhaled before struggling against the ropes again.

    “The 7th wheel,” The Galra commander sighed. Lance’s eyebrows knitted together and he glanced upwards in surprise and anger.

    “How do you know that?” Lance huffed angrily, a glare crawling down his face and forming a scowl on his lips.

    “I heard it all,” The Galra commander smirked.

    “They don’t seem to like you much, the other paladins, hm?” The Galra commander queried, sitting in a chair in front of Lance.

    “They’re my friends, of course they like me,” Lance declared firmly.   
    “I can hear that slight twinge of doubt in your voice,” The Galra commander pointed out. Lance felt his heart begin to race but quickly changed the subject.

    “What do you want from me?” Lance fumed, growing impatient. “I have people to save, ones that _your army imprisoned,_ by the way. I can’t be here all day.”

    “You should join us.” The Galra commander mused.

    “What? Who do you think I  _ am _ , a gullible idiot?” Lance spat, the scowl growing and his brows creasing together in anger.

    “Your oblivious attitude amuses me, young Paladin,” The Galra commander chuckled. Lance huffed and drummed his fingers on the chair impatiently.

    “I’ll _ never  _ join you. Let me go.” Lance growled, his voice low and angry.

    “You don’t see it, do you?” The Galra commander asked with almost a sympathetic expression on his face. Lance’s anger started to twist into confusion.

    “See… what?” Lance questioned nervously. The Galra commander smiled at this and quickly wiped the smirk off of his face before continuing.

    “How much they can do without you,” The Galra commander pointed out.

    “Are you kidding? They can’t form Voltron without me,” Lance declared, the doubt in his voice slowly becoming more obvious.

    “Hmm, you don’t seem so sure,” The Galra commander responded. Lance sighed and looked down before replying.

    “What do you mean, how much they can do without me?” Lance asked, looking up with an upset look on his face.

    “Guys, I haven’t gotten a response from Lance in awhile, I think he’s in trouble,” Pidge commented. 

    “Wait, I found him, lemme get a video feed from their cameras,” Pidge muttered to herself, typing a few commands on her computer.

    “There,” She mumbled as the video feed came onto her computer. Shiro, Keith, and Hunk gathered around to watch.

    “Oh no,” Shiro whispered as he saw Lance bound to a chair.

    “Why does he look so upset?” Keith questioned, leaning in to get a closer look.

    “They’re safe, but they have to take on the burden of finding you now,” The Galra commander began. Lance bit his lip and sighed.

    “They’re my friends… they care about me…” Lance mumbled, more to himself for reassurance than anything else.

    “Oh no,” Shiro repeated, but louder this time.

    “What does this Galra commander think he’s doing?!” Keith exclaimed furiously, watching closely.

    “Do they?” The Galra commander questioned. Lance looked up doubtfully.

    “They.. do,” Lance replied. All you could hear in his voice was sadness and doubt, the last drop of confident clarity was gone.

    “I don’t think so, Blue Paladin,” The Galra commander shook his head.

    “What does this Galra fuckwad think they’re doing?” Pidge grumbled under her breath, almost unable to watch the situation escalate. Keith glanced to Pidge before returning his attention to Lance.

    Lance didn’t know how to feel. He didn’t want to believe the Galra commander, but everything he’s said up to this point has sort of made sense. Lance knitted his eyebrows together and suddenly bolted his head up with alarming sudden determination.

    “Oh yeah? Give me evidence. Why should I believe you for sure if you don’t have any solid proof?” Lance questioned with a smirk forming on his lips. Keith, Pidge, Hunk and Shiro smiled at the sight of Lance fighting back.

    “Keith, is the Red Paladin, correct?” The Galra commander questioned. Confused, Lance nodded.

    “He always seems to excel in everything that he does,” The Galra commander tried, poking around to find Lance’s biggest insecurity and work from there. He found it, and Lance’s previous confident face fell almost instantly.

    “Yeah..” Lance sighed. The team’s faces fell when they saw how easily the Galra commander was able to break his walls down.

    “No,” Hunk mumbled, sighing.

    “Tell me about this ‘Keith’,” The way the Galra commander said his name struck a sudden feeling of envy and hate into Lance’s chest for some reason.

    “Yeah, he’s good at literally  _ everything _ ,” Lance replied angrily, but his words were genuine.

    “I always hear how _ Keith  _ did this and how  _ Keith  _ did that,” Lance began to vent. The Galra commander tilted his head to the side in fake sympathy, and felt satisfaction well up into his chest. The Galra commander had lured Lance in to vent about his troubles, letting him do exactly what he wanted to do.

    “Pidge, do something,” Hunk ordered nervously. Pidge desperately called Lance’s name through the intercom, but his helmet was beside his chair and he couldn’t hear. The Galra commander huffed and swiftly kicked the helmet to the door. Pidge groaned in anger and worry that she couldn’t do anything else.

    “I always hear,  _ “Keith, you’re so awesome!” _ and,  _ “Keith, you’re so much better than you give yourself credit for!”  _ I’m so  _ sick  _ of it,” Lance exclaimed exasperatedly. The Galra commander nodded and urged him to continue.

    “I’ve never heard,  _ “Lance, that was awesome!” _ or,  _ “Way to go, Lance!” _ . I just… I want to hear that,” Lance sighed. The team watched in fear and sadness as they watched their friend break down, unable to do anything.

    “What room are they in? Where are they?” Shiro demanded, his voice thick with anger and impatience

    “I-I don’t know, it just shows’ Lance’s tracker in the middle of nowhere,” Pidge replied nervously, desperately trying to find the coordinates and repeatedly refreshing the map. Shiro groaned angrily and worriedly, having no choice but to watch the situation continue to unfold.

    “Join us,” The Galra commander stated after a while. Lance looked like he was thinking about it.

    “Wait, why should I?” Lance questioned curiously.

    “No, Lance,  _ no no no, _ ” Hunk mumbled, feeling his heart beat faster.

    “We could seriously use your sharpshooting skills,” The Galra commander pointed out. Lance looked down to think, and then looked up again.

    “I need more reasons.” Lance declared. “I want to make sure this is a smart decision I’m making.”

    “No, it’s not, oh my god Lance  _ please  _ snap out of it,” Pidge begged from behind the screen.

    “We’d treat you with respect and kindness like you want. You’ll have all your moments to shine, and show off your talents all the time,” The Galra commander pointed out, making Lance’s confused and unsure face twist into a happy one.

    “ _ We’d _ be your friends. We  _ need _ you, Lance.” The Galra commander stated. Lance sighed.

    “I found the room,” Pidge exclaimed after a painful silence. 

    “Oh thank  _ God _ ,” Hunk sighed.

    “It’s gonna take a minute to get the coordinates,” Pidge groaned.

    “Dammit, Pidge we need to get in there before Lance falls for their tricks,” Shiro groaned. Keith tapped his leg impatiently.

    “I know that! Don’t you think I know that?!” Pidge snapped, furiously typing to find the coordinates.

    “Got ‘em!” She shouted, grabbing her bayard and sprinting out of the room, everyone following suit moments after.

    “You’d treat me like that? Really?” Lance asked.

    “Yes, Lance. We could really use your talents.” The Galra commander responded in a calm voice. Lance smiled to himself.

    “Use my _ talents _ , huh?” He questioned silently to himself with a smirk.

    “Dammit, these are long hallways,” Pidge huffed, sprinting as fast as she could.

    “Shiro!” Pidge exclaimed.

    “Got it,” Shiro replied, using his arm to unlock the door.

    “Lance!” Everyone shouted. Lance slowly turned around, and the team’s hearts shattered when they saw the look of sadness and distrust in his eyes.

    “These your friends?” The Galra commander questioned. Lance opened his mouth to reply, but had to think to answer the question. The Galra commander described them as enemies, not friends. Lance wasn’t sure who to believe.

    “You shut your mouth!” Keith fumed. The Galra commander widened his eyes in surprise.

    “Wow, feisty, isn’t he? Like a little fireball,” The Galra commander smirked.

    “Stop brainwashing him,” Shiro ordered, his face contorting in anger as his arm began to glow.

    “Get them,” The Galra commander growled. Something about his hostile tone slowly drew Lance back to reality, almost too late.

    “Lance, we need you!” Hunk shouted desperately. Lance watched doubtfully.

    “Kill them!” The Galra commander yelled. The sudden extreme hostility rebooted Lance’s mind back to reality, reminding him of when the Galra commander first found him. The memories of how his friends truly were snapped into his head. Lance shoved his useless worries and insecurities aside and shook his head to clear his cloudy mind. He had no time to be in shock as to how he had almost joined the Galra and almost got brainwashed, his friends desperately needed him.

    “Keith! My helmet!” Lance shouted. Keith smiled and then smirked as he tossed Lance his helmet and bayard.

    “Lance, you’re going to  _ help _ these fools? Your  _ enemies? _ ” The Galra commander quickly slipped into the innocent tone that drew Lance in. But Lance wasn’t going to fall for it this time.

    “They’re my friends and they need me. I was an idiot to think that you’d really want me. I’m gonna spare you the monologue,” Lance cut off, slashing the Galra commander’s arm, which prompted a growl and 4 drones to fight Lance.

    Lance gasped and his eyes darted from right to left, unsure of who to fight first. Pidge slid in to help, and Lance smiled and felt the faith in his friends come back to him.

    “Thanks,” Lance smiled.

    “Don’t even mention it, Lance,” Pidge smirked, fighting off the drones to give the paladins enough time to run away.

    “Get them!” They all heard the Galra commander’s voice boom, and soon after the echo of clanking footsteps from the drones running after them.

    “Allura!” Shiro shouted as they neared the castle. The paladins quickly got in and Allura wormholed the castle galaxies away to give them a long break between the Galra. The paladins sighed in relief when they finally had time to rest. 

    “Thank God you’re okay,” Shiro sighed in relief, hugging Lance. Everyone followed and pulled Lance into a group hug.

    “You do know that everything he said is a lie, right?” Keith questioned quickly, anxiety evident on his face. Lance didn’t even get a chance to reply before Keith spoke again.

    “We need you, Lance. You’re incredibly talented and we’d be completely lost without you,” Keith assured, his words genuine. Lance smiled at this and blinked and nodded.

    “Without you, we wouldn’t be able to form Voltron. And you’re the team’s sharpshooter,  _ we _ need your talents,” Shiro assured. Lance smiled widely and felt tears spring into his eyes and fall onto his cheeks. Everyone immediately looked at each other worriedly.

    “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that,” Lance chuckled and sobbed. Everyone sighed in relief and pulled him into a group hug once more.

    “Well, it’s obvious we need to say it more, then,” Shiro replied, sighing in content. Everyone did the same and the group hug broke apart after a few minutes.

    “Thank you all so much,” Lance smiled. Everyone did the same and nodded.

    “No, Lance. Thank you.” 

**Author's Note:**

> wOW this is a oneshot from a while ago that i touched up a bit  
> also i deleted CGYT? and Chasing Cars because every time i write a story, the whole thing gets screwed up into a conglomerate of filler chapters and it just,, it's awful  
> i wanna take a while to think of a story with an actual storyline before i write it.. i see all of these popular stories and i think to myself 'oh my god, i wish i could write like that! i wanna write good story just like that!' and then i never do because i always mess it up  
> but rambling aside, here, have a oneshot


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